Knight calls on funders and individuals to join effort to rebuild trust in democracy from local level upThe John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced that it would double its investment in strengthening journalism to $300 million over five years, with a focus on building the future of local news and information, which are essential for democracy to function. Knight called on individual and institutional funders to join in this opportunity to rebuild trust and foster sustainability in journalism, an essential democratic institution, starting on the local level. Knight’s initial investments are in scalable organizations committed to serving communities at the local level — all of which are seeking additional support. These organizations are building new business models, strengthening investigative reporting, protecting press freedom, promoting news literacy, and connecting with audiences through civic engagement and technology. Today’s announcement by Knight, the nation’s leading funder of journalism, comes two weeks after the Knight Commission on Trust, Media and Democracy —a joint initiative between Aspen Institute and Knight— released a report based on more than a year of work by experts across sectors. It offers recommendations for the press, technology platforms, as well as public and philanthropic actors to rebuild the trust in the media and other democratic institutions calling for: online news services to protect their users; radical transparency from media organizations; and a commitment to civics education. Several recommendations focus on strengthening local news including developing viable nonprofit, hybrid and for-profit local news models, and advancing collaboration among journalism entities at all levels. John S. and James L. Knight FoundationKFJohn S. and James L. Knight FoundationKnight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit kf.org.NewsroomsNewsrooms across the nation have been decimated by the collapse of traditional business models brought on by the impact of digital technology and social media, which have drawn readers and advertisers to other information sources on the internet. As a result, many communities have turned into news deserts, with little or no local reporting.Alberto Ibargüen“Without revenue, you can’t pay reporters. Without reporters, you can’t develop consistently reliable news reports about what’s happening in your town. Without that reliable news report, you can’t figure out how to run local government. It isn’t rocket science,” said Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation president. “We’re not funding one-offs. We’re helping to rebuild a local news ecosystem, reliable and sustainable, and we’re doing it in a way that anyone who cares can participate.”ReportersJennifer Preston“Reliable news and information are essential for people to make democracy work,” said Jennifer Preston, Knight Foundation vice president for journalism. “By investing in projects and people with bold ideas, Knight and others who care about journalism and democracy have the opportunity to reverse years of declining trust and revenues and help build a sustainable future for local news and information in the 21st century.” AmericansThe initiative is an effort to find a different, collaborative, digital, local way to reliably inform Americans by supporting national organizations working in partnership on the local level. It further seeks to galvanize support from other funders and individuals across sectors for these organizations; the descriptions below contain links to learn more and support at any level.A healthy democracy_4818d94a-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c6To foster more informed and engaged communities_4818db52-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c6TrustDemocracyInformationEngagementAccountabilityPartnershipGivingFree SpeechAccuracyNews LiteracyUnderstandingLocalityCommunityReporting & JournalismRevive local, investigative reporting and accountability journalism_4818dc10-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c61Knight’s investments aim to revive vigorous, local, investigative reporting and accountability journalism, largely by supporting national organizations working in partnership at the local level, including:Grants & SupportProvide grants and support to local, nonprofit civic news organizations_4818dcc4-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c61.1American Journalism ProjectCivic News Organizationslocal, nonprofit ($20 million): To support the American Journalism Project, a new venture philanthropy initiative that will provide transformative grants and support to local, nonprofit civic news organizations to ensure their long-term sustainability.PartnershipsAdvance partnerships with local news organizations to strengthen local investigative reporting, data-driven reporting and audience engagement._4818dd82-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c61.2ProPublicaLocal Reporters($5 million): To advance partnerships with local news organizations to strengthen local investigative reporting, data-driven reporting and audience engagement. The support will also help expand ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, allowing it to hire local reportersReport for AmericaExpand the reach of Report for America_4818de36-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c61.3($5 million): To expand the reach of Report for America, a national service program, helping it place journalists in underserved local newsrooms across the country and train the next generation of journalists working in local news organizations. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project.Documentaries & MultimediaIncrease the scope and impact of Frontline’s documentaries and multimedia approach_4818deea-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c61.4Frontline PBS($3 million): To increase the scope and impact of Frontline’s high-quality documentaries and multimedia approach to reporting on local issues and establish up to five geographic hubs around the country involving partnerships with local newsrooms.Fundraising Capacity & GivingGrow fundraising capacity in nonprofit newsrooms and promote giving to journalism among U.S. donors_4818dfa8-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c61.5NewsMatchNonprofit NewsroomsU.S. DonorsDemocracy FundJohn D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation($1.5 million): To support a national matching-gift campaign to grow fundraising capacity in nonprofit newsrooms and promote giving to journalism among U.S. donors. Launched by Knight Foundation in 2016, NewsMatch has grown with support from Democracy Fund, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and other foundations and corporations, and has helped nonprofit news organizations raise more than $14 million.Free SpeechPursue legal cases around free speech_4818e066-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c62JournalistsLocal News OrganizationsThe initiative also recognizes that today’s journalists, and local news organizations in particular, are less able to pursue legal cases around free speech and freedom of the press due to a lack of resources and support. Knight is making a major investment to tackle this challenge:First AmendmentDefend the First Amendment and hold decision-makers accountable._4818e322-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c62.1Reporters Committee for Freedom of the PressThe Reporters Committee will triple the number of lawyers working on local issues and expand its network of local attorneys providing pro bono legal support.Local Attorneys($10 million): To help local newsrooms defend the First Amendment and hold decision-makers accountable.Digital TransformationDigitally transform of local news organizations._4818e412-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c63Lenfest Institute for JournalismIn addition, the initiative includes $10 million in support for the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, a partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism announced in September 2018, which established a fund for the digital transformation of local news organizations. The latest Knight investment will support further expanding the Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative (formerly “Table Stakes”) within dozens of new communities and establishing a shared resource hub for local news organizations.Community ExpansionExpand the Knight-Lenfest Newsroom Initiative (formerly “Table Stakes”) within dozens of new communities_4818e4e4-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c63.1Resource HubEstablish a shared resource hub for local news organizations_4818e610-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c63.2Local News Organizations.Misinformation & AccuracyAddress misinformation and promote accurate news_4818e728-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c64Building on Knight’s previous work to address the rapid spread of misinformation and promote accurate news, other investments will support news literacy initiatives, community engagement, and tools that help people become better consumers of news. These include:News LiteracyEmpower educators to teach news literacy to middle and high school students_4818e818-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c64.1The News Literacy ProjectEducatorsMiddle School StudentsHigh School StudentsTeachersLibrariansLocal Journalists($5 million): To expand the impact of a nonpartisan educational nonprofit that empowers educators to teach news literacy to middle and high school students. The organization will also bring its signature NewsLitCamps to several communities where Knight invests; the professional development program provides teachers and librarians with an introduction to news literacy, teaching resources and the opportunity to connect directly with journalists working in their communities.SolutionsProduce reporting that highlights solutions, rather than problems_4818e9a8-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c64.2Solutions Journalism Network The initiative will help bring the Solutions Journalism Network to more communities, including those where Knight invests, and will encourage collaboration with newsrooms participating in the American Journalism Project.($5 million): To expand a model that advances community engagement and civic dialogue to produce rigorous reporting that highlights solutions, rather than problems.Understanding & TrustHelp journalists build trust by better understanding the communities they serve and the issues people care about_4818eb10-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c64.3JournalistsCommunitiesCorticoCortico's listening system —the Local Voices Network— uses machine learning to analyze online and offline community conversations. Cortico is a nonprofit created by leaders at the Lab for Social Machines at the MIT Media Lab.($2 million): To help journalists build trust by better understanding the communities they serve and the issues people care about.ResearchCreate and expand of research centers around the United States_4818ec0a-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c65Knight is investing an additional $35 million in research to support the creation and expansion of research centers around the United States. This research will study the changing nature of an informed society in America and will help build an emerging field of study to address pressing questions about the health of an informed society and citizenry in the digital age.Informed SocietyStudy the changing nature of an informed society in America_4818ecfa-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c65.1Digital AgeBuild an emerging field of study to address pressing questions about the health of an informed society and citizenry in the digital age._4818ee12-3583-11e9-b743-e41fd461b4c65.22019-01-192019-02-20https://knightfoundation.org/press/releases/knight-foundation-focuses-on-building-the-future-of-local-news-in-300-million-five-year-commitmentOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net